Sports

England ‘flexed their muscles’ in Oman hammering

Published

2 years ago

2024/06/15

Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow finished the chase with 30 from just 8 deliveries (Cricinfo)

England “really turned up” in their ruthless victory over Oman which put them back in contention for progression at the T20 World Cup, says former England bowler Steven Finn.Knowing another defeat would end their title defence, England dismissed Oman for 47 and emphatically completed the chase in 3.1 overs in Antigua.

The significant boost to their net run-rate means if England beat Namibia in their final group match on Saturday and Australia beat Scotland later that day, England will almost certainly go through.

“It was the perfect result from the moment Jos Buttler turned up and won the toss,” Finn told BBC’s Test Match Special.

“England have just flexed their muscles.”

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid took 4-11 and pace bowlers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood 4-12 as England dismissed Oman in 13.2 overs.

In reaching their target in 19 balls, England set a record for the fastest chase in a T20 World Cup match and made the ideal response to Saturday’s defeat by Australia in Barbados.

“Even when England won the toss and bowled first, or when Oman were 16-2, I don’t think they would anticipated bowling Oman out for 47,” said Finn, who won 126 caps for England across all formats.

“It just shows the power England have, but it is just one step in the right direction.”

England had to complete their chase inside 33 balls to take their net run-rate above Scotland’s, and Phil Salt hit the first two balls for six.

He was bowled by his third delivery, but captain Buttler finished 24 not out from eight balls alongside Jonny Bairstow, who hit the only two balls he faced for four.

Buttler said the result was “just what was needed” after a washout in their opening game against Scotland and the defeat by Australia.

“It was a really good performance,” he said.

“We have had some really good training sessions and spoke about how we need to stay true to ourselves and trust we have got really good players. “We spoke about needing to win two games of cricket and, if we had the chance to affect the net run-rate, that would be important.

“We are still in the same position. We still have a must-win game on Saturday.”

(BBC Sports)

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Unyielding Dinusha, spirited tail hold off India to save Colombo Test

Published

1 hour ago

2026/08/27

Priyan

Dinusha hit his second century of the Test to wear out India [SLC]

Sonal Dinusha put up an impressive resistance to keep the Indian bowlers at bay on the final day, helping Sri Lanka save the second Test in Colombo after they were asked to follow-on. In a seven-hour vigil, Dinusha remained unbeaten on 133 and, with handy lower order support, ensured that India didn’t bat a second time in the Test. This was the first time in nine occasions that India failed to secure a victory after enforcing a follow-on against Sri Lanka.

Needing only four wickets on the final day in order to begin the chase, the Indian bowlers had to toil hard on a surface which offered a bit of turn, but largely predictable pace and bounce. Overnight batters Dinusha and Keshara Nuwantha kept the Indians all through the morning session even though the new ball was taken within the first half an hour of play.

The seventh-wicket stand stretched to 88 runs, consuming more than 40 overs, which also ensured Sri Lanka cleared the first innings deficit. The first strike of the day came soon after the lunch break when Manav Suthar got a delivery to spin in sharply and took the outside edge of Nuwantha’s bat to the second slip.

Prabath Jayasuriya continued to remain defiant, resisting for 28 balls before his attempted drive off Ravindra Jadeja took the outside edge to Dhruv Jurel at second slip. Even as the lead swelled past the 150-run mark with only two wickets remaining and nearly a session and a half to play, the Indians had enough incentive to go for the kill.

However, Lahiru Kumara provided much-needed support to Dinusha as the duo put an end to India’s hopes. The southpaw used the sweep to good effect to counter the turn. The duo chewed up 169 deliveries for 47 runs in a period of attritional batting, during which Dinusha brought up his century. Kumara did provide India a chance when he attempted a slog sweep which fell in front of Jurel at deep mid wicket soon after Dinusha reached his century. But that was a rare opportunity.

Kumara eventually departed on 12 when an inside edge was pouched at short leg by Yashasvi Jaiswal. Nonetheless, which the number of overs reducing, Dinusha took Sri Lanka till the end of day without any further trouble and helped avoid a whitewash.

Brief scores:
India 503/9 decl (Devdutt Padikkal 117, Dhruv Jurel 115; Asitha Fernando 4-106, Prabath Jayasuriya 2-132) drew with Sri Lanka 290 (Sonal Dinusha 103, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 80; Prasidh Krishna 3-52, Manav Suthar 3-85) and 429/9 f/o (Sonal Dinusha 133*, Pasindu Sooriyabandara 92; Ravindra Jadeja 3-94, Manav Suthar 3-121)

[Cricbuzz]

Sports

US golfer Gogel gets six-month ban for betting

Published

4 hours ago

2026/08/27

Priyan

Matt Gogel is 20th in the PGA Tour Champions' season-long Charles Schwab Cup points race [BBC]

American golfer Matt Gogel has been suspended for six months for betting on golf tournaments, the PGA Tour has said.

The 55-year-old competes on the PGA Tour Champions circuit which is reserved for professional golfers aged 50 and older.

Gogel did not bet on events in which he was participating but admitted to unknowingly violating PGA Tour policy by placing “small recreational wagers” in 2024 and 2025.

“I would never knowingly violate the integrity of the game of golf,” Gogel said in a statement.

“I made an honest mistake and I look forward to playing in 2027 on the PGA Tour Champions.”

He had two top-10 finishes across 18 PGA Tour Champions events in 2026 and was most recently in action during the Rogers Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta where he finished tied 30th last week.

Gogel, who has earned more than $760,000 (£559,000) in prize money from Champions events, won the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 2002 – his only victory in 179 starts on the PGA Tour.

His suspension came into effect on 23 August and lasts until 22 February.

[BBC Sports]

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UAE’s Asif Khan handed 15-month ban for using a banned substance

Published

4 hours ago

2026/08/27

Priyan

Asif Khan turned out in 94 internationals for UAE [Cricinfo]

Asif Khan the UAE batter, has been banned for 15 months after admitting to having tested positive for a banned substance – “a metabolite of mesterolone” – in an out-of-competition test conducted in September 2025, the ICC said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement said that Asif, 36, “had admitted the violation” of Article 2.1 of the ICC’s anti-doping code and accepted the period of ineligibility “pursuant to a case resolution agreement entered into with the World Anti-Doping Agency and the ICC”, which means there is no right to appeal on the part of the player.

The sanction is effective from September 8, 2025 and will run until December 7, 2026.

“Asif may return to training with a team or use the facilities of a club or other ICC Member organisation from 8 October 2026 but will only be eligible to play from 8 December,” the statement added. “The player’s individual results from 8 September 2025 until his provisional suspension on 29 December 2025 have been disqualified, along with all resulting consequences, including the loss of any medals, points, prize money or prizes.”

Asif, a former Pakistan Under-19 cricketer, made his UAE debut in March 2022 in an ODI against Oman in the ICC’s Cricket World Cup League 2. He turned out in 38 ODIs and 56 T20Is between then and September 2025.

The last three of those T20Is, against India, Oman and Pakistan in the T20 Asia Cup in 2025, came after September 8, and will be removed from his record.

[Cricinfo]